Another group just announced it's decision to rebrand. They've learned, they say, that they need to reach out to businessmen, to re-tool so as to meet also the needs of employers and unions (those few that remain). They describe this as "broadening" which, I guess, is fair enough.

They could have broadened by including artisans or independent tradespeople. They could have reached out to sports clubs, professional and amateur athletes, or leisure groups. They might have reached out to environmental organizations, or associations of physical scientists, chemists, and biologists. They might have reached out to the health field, including mental and emotional counseling as well as MDs, dentists and optometrists. They might have reached out to theologists and philosophers, or to university literature departments or associations of professional historians.

I'm just saying. There are lots of interest groups, lots of sectors of society, lots of perspectives an organization can reach out to.

Of course, only a few groups have money - the bankers, the auto manufactures, the primary resource industries - and an influence on government spending decisions.

I've said before that when environmental groups or citizens' coalitions or literacy organizations enter a marketplace where they have to compete against others to earn the support of business (stockholders, employers and unions), they will adapt to the mission, vision and goals of those businessmen far more easily than business will adapt to meet the goals and vision of environmentalists or community workers or literacy tutors.